Man or monster? Now that Kane has taken off his trademark mask, we probe behind the brute's facade—and the results aren't pretty

Wrestling Digest, Dec, 2003 by Steve Anderson

Kane lost the match and after some comfort by longtime tag-team championship partner, Rob Van Dam, Kane ripped off the mask, which was attached to a wig. The hideous Kane was bald and appeared burned thanks to some make-up tricks.

The trauma of the unmasking took Kane's character in a new direction, as he began attacking and burning anyone in his way, including Jim Ross Linda McMahon, RVD, and Shane McMahon. While many felt that losing the mask would be a "heat-killer" it added yet another dimension to Kane and a new direction that fans are taking notice of according to the TV ratings of Kane's segments, story line holes be damned.

With a mask, Kane was a mysterious monster. Now, with proverbially nothing to hide, the persona of Kane has become a sadistic beast, hell-bent on destruction. Fire and brimstone, indeed.

Monsters and Boogey Men

KANE IS THE LATEST IN A TRADITION OF wrestlers who seem to teeter on the edge of sanity.

Giant Gonzales

El Gigante was a humble giant, who was pure of heart and committed to eliminating the evil element in wrestling. Heals feared him and baby-faces rallied around him. Sadly, the push went nowhere and he was soon out of WCW. By the mid-'90s, he resurfaced as Giant Gonzales in WWE, a non-speaking monster with an air-brushed "naked" body suit, replete with strategically placed body hair. Try as WWE might, the character elicited more humor than fear, and he soon disappeared again, never to be seen again.

Abdullah the Butcher

He spoke softly (if at all) and wielded a mighty fork. Match after match, Abdullah would stalk to the ring, intent on bleeding his opponent dry using any device at hand, but usually a fork. While never world champion, he has made his impact all over the world. The sixtysomething legend continues to compete--if you can call it that--in various independents.

Mankind

While not having size on his side,Mick Foley's portrayal of Mankind during the early days of the character sent chills up the spines of WWE fans. He chose to live in the dark and dank bowels and basements of buildings, rejected by family and society. His "Psycho" entrance music went well with his screaming of "Mommy, Mommy!" The mask covered the Foley face made famous for so many years and the "hair" would come out in clumps thanks to Mankind's serf-mutilation tactics. The character would evolve into something more cuddly and marketable, but the birth of the character was meant to strike fear. It did.

The Missing Link

As Dewey Robertson, he never moved up beyond the mid-card. But as the painted-faced Missing Link, Roberts found his calling. The Link gained fame in the Texas area and fans really didn't know what to make of him. He was maniacal, choosing his weapon of choice--his head-to do damage to his opponents, tables, chairs, turnbuckles, and ringside posts. Soon WWE came calling and the Link enjoyed a brief stint there first under the management of Mr. Fuji and then under the guidance--so to speak-of Bobby "the Brain" Heenan.

Kamala

He has been referred to as the Ugandan Giant and the Ugandan Headhunter. With Kimchee at his side, Kamaila enjoyed a lengthy run as one of wrestling's silent, but strong monsters. He has feuded with the top stars of the industry--including Hulk Hogan--and competed for a couple of stints under the bright lights of WWE. A brief babyface run could not erase the terror that he elicited during his in-ring antics and out-of-the-ring activities, including eating a raw chicken on TV.